Foundation and early years The origins of the family business date back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when Michelangelo "Angelo" Zegna (1859–1923), a watchmaker from Trivero, Biella, decided to open a textile factory in the nearby town of Flecchia. In 1910, three of Angelo's ten children, including the youngest Ermenegildo (born in 1892), along with a fourth partner, Costanzo Giardino Vitri, founded the wool mill Zegna & Giardino in Trivero in the
Biellese Alps. With the early departure of Vitri and one of the brothers, Ermenegildo took the helm from the beginning, joined by his brother Mario until the early 1940s.
Growth Zegna's vision was to create high-quality fabrics, so he began to source wool directly from several countries around the world, such as
Mongolia, Australia, and South Africa; In 1938 the company began to export fabrics in the
US, through its subsidiary Zegna Woollens Corporation established in New York City. In the mid-1950s, the company employed 1,400 workers. The international development strategy run by the Zegna brothers brought to the openings of the first owned boutique in Paris in 1980, followed by
Milan in 1985.
Third generation 1990s to present During the 1990s, the third generation of the Zegna family entered the business. Angelo's son, and namesake of the company's founder,
Ermenegildo "Gildo" Zegna, became CEO of the Group in 1997; his cousin Paolo became the chairman. In 1991 Zegna was the first luxury brand to enter the China market, with a flagship store in Beijing; and one of the first to access the Indian market. In 2008, the Group established its new headquarters in Milan, in a building designed by architects Antonio Citterio and Gianmaria Beretta.
Acquisitions Starting from the late 1990s, the Group has undertaken a series of acquisitions of Italian and foreign companies that have expanded its business scope and now form the
"Filiera", a unique, company-owned and controlled entity, comprising selected Italian textile producers, integrated with the distinctive manufacturing capabilities of luxury, ensuring excellence, quality, and innovation. In 2009, the Ermenegildo Zegna Group acquired a majority stake in Tessitura di Novara, a company specialized in high-quality silk weaving. In 2016, the Group acquired a majority stake in Bonotto, a high-end textile manufacturer based in Molvena,
Vicenza, giving the Group the possibility to explore new areas such as furnishing and experimental fabrics. Two years later, Zegna – through its subsidiary ZECA company – took over the historic Cappellificio Cervo hat-maker. In 2018, Zegna – already present in India with three stores – together with Reliance, acquired a stake into Indian fashion designer
Raghavendra Rathore's firm. In 2018 Zegna announced that they purchased 85% of the eponymously named
Thom Browne, a New York City-based menswear and womenswear brand, founded in 2001. In 2019, Zegna bought a 65% stake of Italian jersey fabrics manufacturer Dondi, increasing its control over the textile
supply chain. In June 2021, the Zegna Group bought a 60% majority stake in Tessitura Ubertino, a high-end fabric maker based in
Piedmont. A few weeks later, Zegna also bought a 40% share in Tessitura Biagioli Modesto, an Italian spinning mill specialized in
cashmere production. In 2023, the
Prada Group and the Ermenegildo Zegna Group announced an agreement to acquire a minority stake in
Luigi Fedeli e Figlio S.r.l., an Italian family-owned company founded in 1934 in Monza, now in its third generation, recognized worldwide as an excellence in Made in Italy knitwear in fine yarns.
Stock exchange listing In 2021, Zegna agreed to go public by combining with a US
special-purpose acquisition company launched by European private equity group Investindustrial. On 20 December 2021, the Zegna Group went public in New York with a valuation of $3.1 billion and a market capitalization of $2.4 billion . The Zegna family retains control of the company with 60.3% of the capital, held directly by Ermenegildo Zegna and the family company, Monterubello SS. Further shareholders include
Temasek, holding a 10% stake, and Investindustrial Acquisition Corp., which holds an 11% stake. A total of 19% of the company is publicly traded. Since 2022, the company's legal headquarters have been in the Netherlands, while its operational headquarters remain in Italy. == Brands ==